Kaishi is a small stack of folded paper a guest carries in the breast of the kimono. Sweets are taken onto it from a shared dish, and the pick is wiped on it afterwards. Anything not eaten is folded into it and taken home, so nothing is left in the room.
In practice
The guest takes out a sheet, sets it on the mats, transfers a sweet with the pick or with chopsticks provided, and eats from the paper. The fold differs slightly for men and women and by school. Paper weight and finish vary, and seasonal decorated sheets are made, but plain white is standard. Alongside the fan and the sweet pick, kaishi is part of a beginner's first purchases.
Sources
- 懐紙（改訂新版 世界大百科事典 / ブリタニカ国際大百科事典 / デジタル大辞泉） / コトバンク
Supports: 懐紙が茶道で懐中に入れて茶席に携帯し、菓子を取り分けたり指先や茶碗の縁を拭いたりするのに用いられること
About this article
Edited by the operator of Chaen (a one-person operation) / Last updated:
Tea ceremony descriptions can vary by school and source. Where interpretations differ, this glossary avoids definitive claims and focuses on broadly shared understandings. If you notice an error, please let us know viaContact. To learn about our organization, seeAbout Chaen.
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Related terms
- Kashikiri (sweet pick)kashikiri
A small pick used to cut and lift moist sweets; carried by the guest.
- Omogashi (moist sweets)omogashi
Fresh, moist sweets served before thick tea; the element that speaks most directly of the season.
- Higashi (dry sweets)higashi
Dry sweets served with thin tea; small, keepable, and arranged in pairs for colour and shape.